Coalitions offer their platforms to campus
Student Senate coalitions explain policies they feel are most important
ConnectKU, Students of Liberty, and United Students hope to appeal to students and provide realistic campus improvements.
By Brenna Hawley (Contact)
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
ConnectKU
ConnectKU says it’s working to help students now rather than promising to help them later. Austin Kelly, Lawrence junior, is the coalition’s presidential candidate, and Jason Oruch, Plano, Texas, junior, is the coalition’s vice-presidential candidate.
WiKUpedia Project
The WiKUpedia project is an encyclopedia Web site similar to Wikipedia. Students edit the site, which has articles such as how camping for basketball games works, a list of required campus fees and the history of the Rock Chalk Chant. Look at The University Daily Kansan’s Feb. 4 article for more information.
Gmail for KU
ConnectKU wants to integrate Gmail technology into the existing KU email. Google would offer the service for free to the University. Google would offer the technical assistance and server space as well. Look at the Kansan’s Feb. 26 article for more information.
Potter Lake Project
ConnectKU wants to clean up Potter Lake, which it says is a University icon. The coalition’s task force looking at the lake is reviewing sustainable options to clean the water and the area around it. The group hopes to carry out its changes by spring 2009. Look at The Kansan’s March 10 article for more information.
Say before you pay system
Austin Kelly, Lawrence junior and presidential candidate for ConnectKU, said student fees have gone up an average of $90 per semester since he came to the University. He said students should have a say in how much they pay in student fees.
The say before you pay system puts any fee increase to a campus-wide student vote, or referendum, before it can be implemented. A referendum can be on the same ballot as president and vice president candidates in April or Senate can be called specifically for a referendum. Kelly said he would try to stay away from a special referendum vote.
“Even asking students to vote one day a year is difficult,” Kelly said.
Kelly said Senate would still increase fees for inflationary purposes without a student vote, but any fee increase due to an increase in services or new services would be put to student vote.
Say before you pay has been a platform issue for candidates in the past.
Twenty percent voter turnout
Last year’s voter turnout was less than 15 percent of the student body, and it is ConnectKU’s goal to increase that number.
Kelly said he wanted to make voting more personal by using new techniques to get students interested.
Jarrod Morgenstern, Overland Park senior and ConnectKU member, said the group will use Facebook press and also try to get as many students as possible to the coalitions Web site.
Revitalize Shenk Complex
Shenk Complex, at 23rd and Iowa streets, is a group of sports fields that intramural and club sports use to play on. They close at fall break, do not open until spring break, and are not lit at night.
Kelly said the complex lags behind other Big 12 schools.
“I’ve had team members tell me other teams won’t come play here because our fields are so poor,” he said.
Kelly said he planned to work with sports clubs to bring AstroTurf and lighting to the fields. He said the changes would probably take a student fee of a couple of dollars, which he would put to student vote with the say before you pay system.
Jay Vaglio, Leawood junior and president of the KU lacrosse sport club, said the complex is dangerous to athletes playing on it.
“It’s like playing on concrete,” Vaglio said.
He said that ConnectKU approached the Athletics Department and said the teams were willing to pay to use Anschutz Field to play on, but the department wasn’t interested.
Off-Campus Lighting
Oruch said there wasn’t enough lighting around campus to create a safe environment for students.
“Right when you get off campus you enter the black hole,” Oruch said.
He said ConnectKU envisioned lit pathways on common routes off-campus residents use to get home from campus. He said the coalition would also use its hired Student Legislative Awareness Board to lobby the city to install more lighting.
Hate Crime Prevention
Oruch wrote a resolution against hate crimes last year after his Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, was vandalized. The resolution did not pass, but Oruch said ConnectKU wanted to expand on the idea and have Senate sponsor a week of hate crime prevention programming.
Oruch said Senate would work with campus groups like Queers and Allies, the Black Student Union and KU Hillel to present the program.
Healthier Dining Options
Oruch said ConnectKU wanted to create a new board that worked with KU Dining to give students healthier eating options.
Students of Liberty
Students of Liberty is making sure money is spent wisely during its campaign.
Last week Adam Wood, Lawrence junior and Students of Liberty presidential candidate, announced that he and Eric Hyde, Lawrence sophomore and vice presidential candidate, decided not to accept pay for the positions if they get elected. The student body president and vice-president normally receive tuition sponsorship and $320 every two weeks.
Hyde said he spoke with a state politician who said many get into the business just for the money, but that wasn’t their purpose.
“We just want to make it clear that we’re here to get things done,” Wood said.
Reevaluating student fees
Wood said he wanted to go through Senate’s budget and do an audit to see where all the money was going. He said he didn’t want to cut programs but make spending more efficient.
No special interest control of Senate
Wood said he wanted to eliminate gifts from outside organizations to Student Senate. He cited an example where the Athletics Department flew the student body president and vice president to an away football game and also gave them box access at home football games. He said these gifts compromised the integrity of Senate and made it appear biased.
REclassification of Mopeds
Wood said he wanted to encourage environmentalism by classifying mopeds as bikes so they would not require parking permits.
Donna Hultine, director of the Parking Department, said any change in moped classification would have to go through the Parking Commission, a group of students, faculty and staff who vote on regulation changes. She said a moped pass cost $25, or $15 for someone who already had a parking pass.
Not funding groups not open to all students
Wood said students shouldn’t pay $80 per year to the Women’s and Non-Revenue Intercollegiate Sports Fee if all students couldn’t benefit.
Prohibit tests and projects after breaks
Wood said students with large workloads needed to rest during break rather than worry about projects and tests.
Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success, said changes in testing policy would go through University Governance, where faculty, staff and students vote on policies.
Student Housing
Wood said he wanted to negotiate with Student Housing to give students more protection against unreasonable searches and give students opportunities to stay in residence halls during spring break. Wood said while rules prohibited people entering dorm rooms without reason, sometimes rules needed to be enforced.
Wind power
Students of Liberty wants to power one-third of campus with wind turbines like the ones at Pratt Community College. The group thinks it will save money on energy costs in the long term.
United Students
United Students wants more student body involvement in Senate. Adam McGonigle, Wichita sophomore and presidential candidate, said its platforms are balanced and offer something for everyone.
New Pool
The first platform released was the addition of a pool to the Student Recreation and Fitness Center.
The coalition plans to pay for the pool with money from the Athletics Department, donations from KU alumni and a short-term expansion of the Women’s and Non-Revenue sports fee.
Campus Parking
United Students also has a platform to offer free parking in the Kansas Union parking garage to students without passes after 5 p.m. and on basketball game days. Anyone with a valid parking pass can park in the garage after 5 p.m., but the coalition said that excludes many people who have night classes or meetings. It wants to open the top level of the garage to students without permits.
Enrollment System
The coalition wants to improve the enrollment system by providing additional class information such as integrating textbook prices, prerequisites, degree requirements, labs and open class times. It wants Enroll and Pay to offer a drag and drop system.
United Students wants professors to provide midterm grades to students so they know where they stand in their classes.
Wireless Internet
McGonigle said the University was unique because it didn’t have wireless Internet through entire residence halls. He said wireless would be available in study rooms and lobbies by this summer.
He said maintaining a grounded system with wires was a large expense, and after discussions with Information Technology he said the project could probably be completed without a fee raise.
Self Defense
Michael Gillaspie, vice presidential candidate, said United Students wanted to start a self defense program available to and focusing on freshmen women, although it would be open to all students.
Lighting, Security Cameras
McGonigle said he wanted to increase lighting on and off campus with money from the Campus Safety Advisory Board Reserve Account. He said the coalition wanted to increase lighting behind Strong Hall and in places with high student populations. Emery Road and Tennessee Street would be areas the coalition would concentrate on.
McGonigle said they would also use funds to put more security cameras in parking lots and at residence halls.
Mandatory Energy Efficient Buildings
United Students wants to reduce energy use in buildings like the Kansas Union, the Student Recreation Fitness Center and Watkins Memorial Health Center. He said Senate would require fluorescent light bulbs, computers to be shut off at night and air conditioning or heat turned down at night.
—Edited by Sasha Roe
Discussion
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I love the Efficient Buildings idea!
Agreed. I think they should especially look into residence halls/scholarship halls (meaning that it would be a different task than regular campus buildings, which also need special attention). A lot of things could be done in that arena without compromising residence life.
Everybody's got a few good ideas. I already know who I'm supporting (ConnectKU), but it's encouraging to see all three coalitions thinking.
Finally, US comes up with some good ideas!
I'm glad to see that the coalitions are more evenly matched now. I think this election will be very tough for all coalitions. I hope that we can get more than 20% voter turn out this year.
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